@Riot - You need to start rewarding supports

Rezandra·Jan 31, 2016·214 votes·8,678 views

I have put support as my secondary role 5 times in a row in the new champ select, and 5 times in a row I have been support. This is pissing me off. Jungle and support are what I'm good at, but that doesn't mean I want to be support every damn game.

The problem is that support is the least desired role right? So reward people for choosing it as their primary role when they queue. WoW has done this for years. Tanks and healers get an extra loot bag with some goodies after finishing an instance. How about with the new Hextech crafting system on the way, you add a higher drop rate for keys? Or just add an IP bonus of like 15% - 25%.

If playing support meant that people would get rewarded for their patience and willingness to boost the power of the rest of the team, then people might actually want to do it. Right now, frankly, support really is a thankless job that somebody has to do.

184 Comments

VirtuousViolenceJan 31, 2016154 votes

Whenever i hear "Make support rewarding"i Imagine things like "Triple Assisst! Quadra Assisst! PENTA ASSISST!" "An Enemy Ward has been slain"

RezandraJan 31, 201623 votes

I like your attitude.

Mama SorakaJan 31, 20165 votes

AND THE CROWD GOES WILD #lcsbigplays

SolitairJan 31, 201673 votes

Thresh "DOMINATING " item 3340

DazedOnlookerFeb 1, 201648 votes

Janna Is Godlike!! item 3363

sir d wreckFeb 1, 201644 votes

Sona Is on a rampage! item 3341

BârdFeb 1, 201648 votes

Bard is chiming seductively http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/leagueoflegends/images/9/96/Traveler%27s_Call.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/36?cb=20150224202801&format=webp

KetiFeb 1, 201615 votes

Alistar Shut Down! item 3364

hi im mintyJan 31, 201612 votes

One could only hope.... I wish this was a thing. Can this be a thing??

SelflessTeammateFeb 1, 20169 votes

This is why a good portion of people seem to play at all, for those announcer things. The announcer never says a WORD about supports, UNLESS one steals a kill. Otherwise, that announcer implies, FK THE SUPPORT. I DON'T CARE IF THAT QUADRA WAS TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THEM, THEY DIDN'T GET THAT LAST HIT, so FK 'EM.

Having said that, give supports some...flair, let's say. It's not that they don't have them in their kits already, they do. But even if they accomplish something, even if they freaking create that double kill in bot lane, nobody notices, because they're not asked to notice. "gj graves" summarizes most of that, at best.

If you're incredibly lucky, you might get that one-adc-in-50 that thanks you, and even honors you, saying thanks for the carry, man. These are rarer than they damned well should be.

Just, really, anything is better than the nothing currently being offered. Anything. Put something on the screen that says they helped.

10TicklerFeb 1, 201619 votes

Oh god, the Ward-wards begin.

"An Enemy Ward has been Slain" "Your Team has placed a Pink!" "Double-Ward!" "Triple-Ward" "QUADRAWARD" Then, when all five place wards, "PENTA-WARD"

TheMonocleRogueFeb 1, 20163 votes

[{quoted}](name=Sir Nightingale,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=X17WgO3o,comment-id=0003,timestamp=2016-01-31T17:42:00.331+0000)

Whenever i hear "Make support rewarding"i Imagine things like "Triple Assisst! Quadra Assisst! PENTA ASSISST!" "An Enemy Ward has been slain"

I'd like to see this hit live just to see all the support main's reactions on stream

jQueryFeb 1, 20167 votes

http://i.imgur.com/wrQcF6y.png

SohleksJan 31, 201628 votes

I think the reward should be for fill. Incentives for fill will increase # of fill players improving flexibility of the players in queue improving queue times somewhat.

Being able to demonstrate your ability to perform as any position makes more sense from a gameplay/ reward perspective than just spamming support games. Rewards for support specifically though would target the op's issue a lil better perhaps though.

Whatever happens though fill has to be a variant experience... Support as fill should be 35% at most (ideally 25%)

RezandraFeb 1, 20163 votes

Ehhhh, I dunno dude. LCS players are likely really good at every role, but I doubt the average player can go anywhere and still be good at it. I'll be honest, I'm a lousy mid. I'm not good at CSing and I don't like the constant pressure of being against an opponent and having to worry about potential ganks. I would never choose fill because of that.

But then, if you chose fill and got mid, you must have a goddamn fairy godmother watching you.

KillerKellFeb 1, 20168 votes

Not only that... in comparison to their Pro Player Counterparts... Pro Players aren't nearly as versatile as we would think.

Sure, Dyrus can go ADC and stomp YOU... but he's not doing crap to Wild Turtle. If Dyrus said "I'm a Pro, I can play Every Lane!" and decided from now on he's ONLY an ADC... he'd be out of the Professional Game rather quickly, because compared to other Professional ADC's he would be hot garbage.

It's what I love about the new Queue system. It allows you to focus on your best to rise. Sure, you should still work to develop those other Roles... but a Pro Player never has to say "Well crap, some one else took my Role...". They rise as Pros by being GREAT at One Thing, having Flexibility is just a bonus... not a mandate.

So even the Pros can't just go to any lane, when facing Equal Competition... so to expect us scrub lord newbs down in Bronze to do it is silly at best and idiotic at worst.

KillerKellFeb 1, 201623 votes

Playing Support IS the Reward.

You Ward, then Re-Ward, then Re-Ward.

RezandraFeb 1, 20169 votes

rolls eyes

Bootleg GayJan 31, 201620 votes

I main support, and after playing certain champions, I really feel rewarded by paying right and making plays. Also, I've learned that I don't trust other people to even play support. In my eyes, a support can carry harder than the other roles, if done right. Granted, I don't always do that (Obviously) but I still don't think it really needs to be rewarded. Other players just need to learn to feel good about the plays they make and the champions they pick. If you force someone to do it, they won't like it, but if they're taught to enjoy it and take pride in it, they might not feel this way.

Just my 2 cents.

RezandraJan 31, 20168 votes

{quoted}

I main support, and after playing certain champions, I really feel rewarded by paying right and making plays. Also, I've learned that I don't trust other people to even play support. In my eyes, a support can carry harder than the other roles, if done right. Granted, I don't always do that (Obviously) but I still don't think it really needs to be rewarded. Other players just need to learn to feel good about the plays they make and the champions they pick. If you force someone to do it, they won't like it, but if they're taught to enjoy it and take pride in it, they might not feel this way.

Just my 2 cents.

Fair enough, but you're completely missing the point. The problem is that support is the least desired role in the game and few people want to do it.

If queuing for the role were incentivized with bonus IP or whatever reward, then more people would do it and then people that have support as their secondary role wouldn't get stuck with it all the time.

Bootleg GayJan 31, 20164 votes

What I really meant was; you shouldn't be rewarded for playing the game. Support is a role just as much as the others, and it should be up to the players to pick it up and enjoy it. Between the champs, items, combinations and team comps, supports are simply another aspect of the game.

Trust me, we don't need rewarded. Players from outside the support rule need to learn to respect it.

WadeWilson1337Feb 1, 20167 votes

You are totally missing the point. Yes, the few of us who enjoy support and are good at it are typically the type of person that doesnt need to be thanked or incentivized because there is no way in HELL that we would do it otherwise. The issue is that If you pick fill as secondary, or support as secondary, you may as well just put support primary because that is how few people are queing for support. This was the same issue for team builder and one of the reasons it was removed. Support has always been seen as a lackluster role that as much carry potential as it has, they are never allowed to be powerful. CASE AND POINT, Frost Queens Claim. Supports get a awesome AP item, and geuss what happens, mid laners start using it, and now the item has been nerfed SEVERAL times. The worst part is Morellos and Athenes got buffed but Frost Queens is still nerfed, so in the end AP Laners get buffs and AP Supports are nerfed. The role needs some SERIOUS attention and has been a flaw in league for ages now, even if it is just an ip boost for picking support in solo que, i think that its a step in the right direction. Edit: Oh yeah, and for some stupid fucking reason they removed a sightstone charge to try to force us into picking those god awful Eye items.

Silver FluffenbuFeb 1, 20162 votes

bonus IP is the incentive... for people who actually win when they support.

Unstoppable MonkJan 31, 201611 votes

There's a lot of support mains in higher ELO.

The reason why people don't like support in lower elo is because of the sheer amount of abuse and reports that go into dying for the team's mistakes. This is despite many different kinds of support roles available, some people want a someone to be their bitch instead of a teammate and literally explode the second someone wants to do something else.

Jhin UItd JFKJan 31, 20163 votes

{quoted}

There's a lot of support mains in higher ELO.

The reason why people don't like support in lower elo is because of the sheer amount of abuse and reports that go into dying for the team's mistakes. This is despite many different kinds of support roles available, some people want a someone to be their bitch instead of a teammate and literally explode the second someone wants to do something else.

a lot of people in low elos have this sense of "proving oneself" and they feel like support is the weakest role, which in a sense it is; they can't fight people mano y mano and that makes them feel useless.

I've had the exact same thought process before I started playing support. I actually enjoy support, it's a relaxing role, you pretty much just have to spoon feed your carry kills during laning phase and then baby sit them all game after it. It's not exciting, but it's definitely a role taken for granted.

Unstoppable MonkJan 31, 20168 votes

{quoted}

a lot of people in low elos have this sense of "proving oneself" and they feel like support is the weakest role, which in a sense it is; they can't fight people mano y mano and that makes them feel useless.

I've had the exact same thought process before I started playing support. I actually enjoy support, it's a relaxing role, you pretty much just have to spoon feed your carry kills during laning phase and then baby sit them all game after it. It's not exciting, but it's definitely a role taken for granted.

Yeah but in order for that, you actually have to have a marksman. Instead, you get a vayne/lucian main feeder that doesn't listen =(

deadlyotaku116Feb 1, 20163 votes

This x100 can't upvote this enough

SoMNiaFeb 1, 20161 votes

{quoted}

There's a lot of support mains in higher ELO.

That's probably because teams that win have a support main on them. Trouble is, far fewer than 20% of players find support rewarding enough to main it. If you're not one of them, how high do you have to climb before you regularly find teammates who are?

Unstoppable MonkFeb 1, 20161 votes

{quoted}

That's probably because teams that win have a support main on them. Trouble is, far fewer than 20% of players find support rewarding enough to main it. If you're not one of them, how high do you have to climb before you regularly find teammates who are?

Well, if you have people that should be in higher elo and group in ranked;s upport is EXTREMELY viable because you have someone you know that is reliable in that role.

Solo you run with the people who are solo, because dynamic queue. Who's usually solo? People who ruin games.

If I group, my support wins. If I solo support, things hit the fan.

SoMNiaFeb 1, 20162 votes

So, even as a support main, I should try to group up for better games?

Unstoppable MonkFeb 1, 20162 votes

{quoted}

So, even as a support main, I should try to group up for better games?

For ranked Bronze, unless you want to lose.. yeah.

rinsujoFeb 1, 20162 votes

Absolutely. I've gotten to the point where (at least in old queue) I became a jungle/top player solely because I refused to continue supporting in solo. I still call myself a support main, but I won't play it in anything but fives, simply because of the toxicity and bullshit. Heck, some of my IRL friends I won't support (including my fiancee) because either a) they're too toxic or b) they don't know enough about the game for me to support them effectively.

ZephyrDrakeFeb 1, 201611 votes

i much rather have supports who know what they are doing than supports who are only supports just so they can get some stupid bonus thing

Penguin EclipseFeb 1, 20167 votes

The problem is the support role. It's not fun to be bitched at everytime something goes wrong. It's not fun to have 5K+ plus less gold than everyone else on your team even if you have 75% kill participation. It's not fun to go 3/3/30 and still not get an S rating because Riot penalizes for not getting kills.

Riot needs to FIX Support. If the role was fun to play more people would play it.

JVP15Feb 1, 20167 votes

As a support main, I don't like this idea. It means more people want to play support. MY SUPPORT! I can't be having that. Kappa

Okay, in all honesty, I am up for this idea. While getting a double kill is rewarding to me, getting my ADC a double kill makes me so happy, and I keep going back to support, even though it isn't quite as glamorous as Mid or Top or Jungle, and definitely not as glamorous as Draven ADC! LEAGUE OF DRAAAAAAVEN BABY! I'm back. Anyways, I feel like a small reward would be nice. Maybe like, 10% bonus IP, or bonus XP based on the amount of kills that your adc got, or bonus IP based on the amount of kills your adc got. In fact, that seems pretty fair. If your adc gets an 14 kills (which isn't uncommon for me) then you get 14 bonus IP. While it actually depends on how good your adc and jungler play, you still have to baby your adc, because the enemy team has the exact same system in place. While late game the ADC is pretty independent of you, you brought him/her up. He/she is your baby who you spoonfed and cleaned his ass whenever he took a dump.

HellioningJan 31, 20165 votes

Lyte has said they want to do something like this eventually. Of course, this is Riot. Who knows when 'eventually' is.

SilatFeb 1, 20165 votes

You're right, with the removal of green wards, there just isn't enough vision!

Jungle should be re-warded too!

Aeolian MelodiesJan 31, 20164 votes

Can I have your secret, I'm 1/6 at getting support and I put mid as my 2nd which is supposed to be the most popular.

NyaboronJan 31, 20164 votes

I dont want people playing my role and taking it from me for rewards, instead of being good at it. I'm a good support and my reward for it is I win games. If it even is the least desired role, it isn't by much. Top laners are pretty hard to come by as well.

Carpe VictoriaFeb 1, 20164 votes

No, because i don't want 'support' Zed.

DęepJan 31, 20163 votes

If this was to be implemented everyone would want to support and nobody wants a unskilled support only wanting an extra bonus. I for one always pick support as my primary role because I main it; the fun in support being the least popular is that once you find a good support s/he will dominate that game.

I usually get credit for doing well as a support but only if playing Blitz, Thresh & Naut. (basically the ones who can get you free kills and make it look somewhat flashy)

{quoted}

they shouldn't be rewarded like that. the support position needs to be made more interesting and up to you. look at the support items. I never build more than 1 support item sometimes never. why? not because they are not good. but they are forcing you to baby sit the adc with them. instead of doing what every body else is. they need less generic support items that are made for tanky sups. ap sups. things like that. we have a cpl items there and there but not many. and they need more of them. the support role needs to be as defined as the other 4 roles. it all starts with making items for them. sure we have the million eye of whatever item. but all of these are like just sustain and some passive that helps one of your team mates. especially your adc. its not very involving to click one button. they just need better itemization.

No one's "forcing" you to baby sit the adc, if that's the case then you should find yourself a better adc but I do agree that some of the items could be better developed.

Only Play DariusFeb 1, 20163 votes

Because by giving a generic progression bonus for playing support, they would be admitting that Support is the team's "Bitch" and a role that no one really wants to play. They would rather give people more intrinsic motivations to play support, such as by releasing playmaking supports Thresh Braum Bard and creating high-impact items item 3050 item 3092 to make support a genuinely appealing role

Band-aid fixes are no good, especially for the macro game

Alorrin01Feb 1, 20163 votes

As a support main, I've accepted I'm Riot's bitch. Now get to work on nerfing FQC again.

MhihnjFeb 1, 20162 votes

Playing support.

Expectations: Vayne I honor you blitz

Reality: Vayne Report this potato for feeding enemy adc

item 3070 Blitzcrank

DarkRitualFeb 1, 20162 votes

Instead, they should first emphasize their importance. Its not thankless, its just underappreciated. People don't give it proper respect as a role. Mostly due to not knowing how to properly play it. I'm a support main, and as much as I would love to get free bonuses for it, it wouldnt make thing suddenly amazing. It would only incentivize people to do it for the bonus, and not care about the role or doing it properly.

tl;dr Riot needs to promote importance and promote support skills instead of give them bonuses.

KairyaFeb 1, 20162 votes

Supporter should be rewarded with ward-skins.

La BarbotteJan 31, 20161 votes

cool concept but IP is useless once you got runes (which should be free) and champions, i changed names 15 times already and im stacking for my 16th...

freeformlineJan 31, 20163 votes

They could enable some other form of reward once you own all champions and some number of runes, possibly involving Hextech Crafting. That way the casual players who feel like it takes an eternity to unlock new champions and runes can get IP and the folks who already have everything can still feel rewarded.

SlyTactician Feb 1, 20161 votes

Lulu

Definitely would make the support role more desirable with a system like the additional Hextech rewards or heck even an IP boost by a small amount. Even having support as a secondary role, I find that I'm placed into the support role about 70-80% of the games I've played with the new system. Not that I mind...as I'm willing to take on this role when no else did in the past.

As a support main, it's just tiring to get blamed upon every time the adc makes a wrong move early on in the game. That's why I usually ask my adc if they'll be playing either aggressively or farm up passively till the mid/late game. I do my best to adjust to how the adc plays; however, some will flat out abuse the support upon getting slain. Especially tough when I recall and say "take care" upon getting sightstone only to notice the adc attempting to take on a 1 v 2 while trying to farm and eventually getting killed with the response being "report supp".

Now that's not the case in every game, but as a support main - it is true that we must require a lot more patience within the game. We cannot go for kills on our own as we must do our best to get the rest of our team + the carry spoon fed kills by late game; however, we do our best to keep the team alive (unless you're a Lux or Brand supp - then that's a different story...).

Aeolian MelodiesFeb 2, 20162 votes